Electric pencil sharpener



Dec. 26, 1933.

L. LIGGIO 1,941,215

ELECTRIC PENCIL SHARPENER 1 Original Filed Oct. 12, 1929 INVENTOR. LEOL UCA L/GG/O.

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ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

Application October 12 1929, Serial No. 399,170

Renewed May 16, 1933 1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to pencil sharpeners and has more particular reference to a novel automatic electric pencil sharpener.

The invention has for an object the provision of a combination pencil gripping and circuit closing device, which is of simple durable construction, desirable in use and eflicient in action, and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

The invention proposes the use of a pencil sharpener connected with an electric motor for rotation and arranged with a stationary tubular pencil guide thru which a pencil may be inserted for sharpening. The stationary tubular pencil guide is arranged with a movable contact adapted for closing an electric circuit thru the motor for operating the sharpener upon the insertion of a pencil. When the pencil is withdrawn from the pencil guide, the movable contact assumes its original position for breaking the circuit thru the motor and stopping the operation of the pencil sharpener.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view of a type of sharpener with which the invention is used.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the left hand portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a base of any design and construction, a removable motor casing 11 is mounted upon'one end of the base and a removable pencil sharpener casing 12 on the other end. The sharpener casing and the motor casing have their adjacent ends engaging each other as indicated in Fig. 1. The motor and sharpener are connected by shaft 13.

A stationary tubular pencil guide 14' has a reduced end 15 forced into an opening 16 in the sharpener casing and the opposite end of the tubular pencil guide is provided with a flange 1'7. A stationary bracket 18 is riveted onto the flange 1'! and connects with a gear housing and bearing 19 arranged for housing the customary driving gears of the pencil Sharpeners 20 mounted in a 5 movable cutter holder 21.

-- An electric meter 22 is fastened within the casing 11 and its shaft engages in the bearing housing 19 and connects with the movable cutter holder 21' for operating the pencil sharpeners 20. The electric motor 22 is provided with power leads 23 passing thru the free end of the casing 11.

The pencil sharpener casing is provided with an end partition 28 extending transversely across and forming a waste compartment 29 for receiving the waste sharpenings from pencils.

The stationary tubular pencil guide support 14' supports a tubular pencil guide within. The tubular pencil guide consists of a movable top section 30 and a movable bottom section 31 held together by a plurality of expansion springs 32 acting between the support 14' and the sections of the pencil guide. The bottom section 31 is provided with a guide peg 33 engaged thru an aperture in the support 14 for guiding it in its motion. A shunt contact 34 is mounted on top of the top section 30 and is engageable with a pair of stationary contacts 35, 36. These contacts are connected in series by the leads 24 connected with the power leads for the electric motor. The contacts 35 and 36 are insulated from the material of the support 14' by insulation members 3'7.-

In operation of this device, the pencil is in-' serted within the tubular pencil guides 30, 31 p for engaging within the sharpeners. Upon in- 3 sertion of 'a pencil the top section 30 and the bottom section 31 are spread apart against the action of the springs 32 and the shunt contact 34 engages against the contacts 35 and 36 for closing the circuit thru motor 22 and operating the sharpeners. The waste of the pencil falls to the bottom of the sharpener casing 12 and collects in the compartment 29. Occasionally, the sharpener casing is removed from the base 10 and the contents of the compartment 29 emptied. The motor casing 11 may also be removed from the base 10 permitting repairing of the motor if this is found necessary. I

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a device of the class described, comprising a casing formed with an aperture, an electric 110 member and each of the semi-cylindrical members normally urging said semi-cylindrical members together, a contact plate mounted on one of said senii cylindrical members for closing said motor circuit upon separating movement of said semi-cylindrical members upon insertion of a pencil therebetween.

LEOLUCA LIGGIO. 

